PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5413, 2 August 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, August 1. The Hou. the Speaker took the chair at the usual hour. PAPERS, BTC. Some papers were laid ou the table, and notice of a question was given by the Hon. Mr. Chamberlin. , ADDRESS IN REPLY. The Hon. the SPEAKER informed hon. members that he had ascertained that his Excellency would bo prepared to receive the address iu reply from the Council the following day at a quarter to three. QUESTIONS. The Hon. Captain ERASER asked the Colonial Secretary,—lf the Government will lay on the table, at an early period, a return showing the number of operatives maimed or injured, during the past eighteen mouths, by unprotected machinery ? The Hon. Captain FRASER also asked the Colonial Secretary,—lf the Government will call upon the inspectors of machinery for a return showing the number of instances, during ttie past eighteen months, in which they have called upon owners of machinery to shield the dangerous parts of their machines? The Hon. Colonel WHITMORE would answer both questions at once. The Government had a certain amount of information which they would •be glad to lay on the table; but he would not undertake to say that it was quite complete, as they had not sufficient machinery to ascertain such things. NEW BILLS. The Hon. Colonel WHITMORE brought in the following new Bills : —An Act to amend the Wellington City Reserves Act 1872 Amendment Act 1877; ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday. The Registration of Dogs Actsecond reading Tuesday. Fencing Bill; second reading Tuesday. , Impounding Act; second reading same day. , . COUNTY COUNCILS AND ROAD BOARDS. The Hou. Sir D. BELL moved, —That there be laid upon the table a summary, prepared from the return of the accounts of the County Councils and Road Boards presented to the Council, and that the same be printed. The Hon. Colonel WHITMORE said that an exhaustive report 'was being prepared in pursuance of a motion in another place by the Hon. Mr. Gisborne. If Sir D. Bell would wait until that return was prepared, expense might be saved. CHARITABLE AID. The Hou. Mr. HALL moved, —That there be laid upon the table copies of the correspondence which has taken place' since the last session of Parliament between the Government and County Councils and Municipal Corporations, relative to the administration of‘charitable aid. and to hospital management.— Agreed to. WASTE LANDS COMMITTEE. The Han. Colonel WHITMORE moved,— That a committee, to consist of eight members, be appointed to consider all Bills that may be introduced into this Council affecting waste lauds of the Crown, with power to confer with any-similar committee appointed by the House of Representatives, and to report generally upon the provisions and principles of such Bills, with power to call for persons, papers, and reooids. A ballot was demanded by the Hou Mr. Chamberlin, which resulted in the selection of the following hon. members ;—Sir F. D. Bell, Messrs. Bouar, Fraser, Hall, Pollen, Robinson, and Waterhouse, SECOND READINGS.The Repeals Bill was read a second time, and referred to a select committee. The Sheep Bill was read a second time after some discussion, and it also was referred to a select committee. The Brands Registration Bill passed the second reading without any discussion, and its committal was made an order of the day for the following day. The Sale of Food and Drugs Bill was treated in a similar manner.

The Cruelty to Animals Bill passed, and was .ordered to be committed next day. • The Savings Bauks Profits Bill evoked some discussion, in which it was pointed out that care should ba taken to have a sufficient reserve to provide against depreciation of securities. The Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed next day. All the foregoing Bills were introduced by Colonel Whitmore. The Council adjourned at five minutes to 5 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday, August 1. The Speaker took the chair at half-past two p.m. PETITIONS. Petitions wore presented by Messrs. Reeves, Hamlin, Shrimski, Tole, Grey, Macfarlahe, Tawiti, and th? Speaker. NOTICES OP MOTION. Notices of motion were given by Messrs. Stevens, Curtis, Wakefield, Gibbs, Reeves, E. Richardson, Wood, Fitzroy, Stout, and Macandrew. papers. Several papers were laid ou the table by the Hou. Mr. Sheehan and the Hon. Mr. Macandrew. THE POLICE FORCE. . Mr. BARTON wished, without formal notice, to ask the Minister for Justice,—Whether the Government, upon receiving the letter from the Mayor of Wellington, now laid on the table, made an official inquiry, as suggested, into the truth of the charges alleged by the Mayor to be publicly made by him (Mr, Barton) against the police, a copy of which charges he enclosed ? And further,’ whether, if an inquiry had been made, the Government would lay the results of that inquiry on the table, together with the evidence on which those results were founded ? The Hon, Mr. SHEEHAN replied that no inquiry had been made beyond that disclosed by the papers laid ou the table. If the hon. member desired that any further steps should be taken in the matter, he could give notice of motion to that effect, and it would then come on for discussion.

Hr. BARTON gave notice of the following motion on the subject for next Wednesday •i. That the large provisions with which the police are necessarily entrusted for the protection of the lives and property of the community makes it essential that the performance of their duties with moderation and humanity should be watched and enforced by those in authority. 2. That this House learns with regret that the serious charges made against the police, published by a member of this House in his speech to his constituents, and made the subject of strong comment by tho Press of the colony, do not appear to have been properly investigated. '3. That the Government be requested to investigate these charges without delay. PENINSULA RAILWAY COMPANY. Mr. SEATON asked the Minister for Public Works, —If he has any. objection to lay before tins House all the correspondence that passed between , the Dunedin, Ocean Beach, and Peninsula Railway Company relative to construction of said railway; also, all agreements and documents bearing ou the same subject ? The Hon Mr. MAC ANDREW laid the correspondence on the table. WAIKATO CONFISCATED TERRITORY. Mr. O’RORICE said he wished to withdraw the following question, as the report had been laid on the table :—Whether the in--1 quiry recommended by the Public Petitions Committee of last session to be made into the claims of the two half-caste daughters of Rora Hauraki to land iu the Waikato confiscated territory has taken place ; and, if so, whether a report on the subject will be laid before the House during the current session ? HOSPITALS AND CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS. The Hon. Mr. STEVENS asked the Premier,—Whether tho Government will this session introduce a Bill to provide for the management of hospitals and other charitable institutions, and charitable aid, throughout the colony ? The Hou. Sir George GREY replied that tho subject would receive every consideration at the hands of tho Government. After the Financial Statement was made the Government would state the course which they intended to pursue in regard to the subject. INSPECTION OF PUBLIC MAPS. Mr. STEVENS asked the Minister of Lauds, Whether fees for- inspection of public maps are charged in the Laud Office at Christchurch, or elsewhere ; and if so, by what authority such charges are made ; and whether the Government will take steps to put an end to the practice ? The same question was pub last year, and from tho reply that was given he had some reason to believe that the practice would be discontinued.

The Hon, Mr. STOUT replied that he was informed that when persona went to search the records and survey maps of the office a small foe was charged. The Government fyac| no wish to impose any unnecessary tax in this respeot, hut it was only right that a small tee should be charged if the records were searched,

or copies of the survey maps taken. -It was merely a nominal amount, and was not charged for revenue purposes. NELSON TO MOTUEKA. Mr. HURSTHOUSE asked the Minister for Public Works, —Whether the flying survey promised last session of a Hue of railway from Nelson to Motueka has been made ; and, if so, will he lay the surveyor’s report before this House S The Hon. Mr. MACANDREW replied that he hoped in a few days to be able to place the report on the table, and but for the department being so busy the report would have been presented before uow. However, it would bo ready to be laid on the table in a few days. LAND DRAINAGE. Mr. HURSTHOUSE asked the Government whether they intended bringing in a Bill this session dealing with land drainage ? The Hon. Mr. STOU f replied that the Government did not intend this session to deal with tha question of land drainage. There were already a great many measures before the -House, and if more were proceeded with, some hon. members were under the impression that the session Avoutd last till Christmas. COAL MINES. Mr. WASON asked the Government if they intended to introduce a Bill during the present session for the regulation of coal mines ? The Hon. Sir. STOUT said he might also give the same answer to this question, namely, that the Government did not intend to bring in a Bill this session for the regulation of coal mines. , BILLS INTRODUCED. The following Bills were introduced :—A Bill to amend the Southland Boys’ and Girls' High School Act, 1877, (Mr. Wood); a bill to provide tor the creation and incorporation of a high school for the couuty of Waitaki, (Mr. Shvimski) ; the Oamaru Waterworks Act Amendment Bill, (Mr. Shrimski); a Bill to amend the electoral law and to make provision for the regulation and conduct of elections for the House of Representatives, (Hon. Mr. Stout) ; a Bill to provide for the prevention of corrupt practices at elections of members of House of Representatives, (Hon. Mr. Stout); a Bill for the punishment of fraudulent debtors, and for other purposes, (Hon. Mr. Stout); a Bill intituled the Licensing Act, 1878, (Hon. Mr. Sheehan); the Nelson Harbor Board Bill, (Mr. Sharp); a Bill providing for the management and improvement of the harbor at Wairoa, Hawke’s Bay, (Mr. Sutton); a Bill to constitute a Harbor Board for the harbor of Milford, (Mr. Wakefield). The four last-named Bills were, according to standing orders, introduced in committee. ADDRESS IN REPLY. The SPEAKER intimated that his Excellency the Governor had fixed a quarter-past three o’clock for receiving tha address in reply to the speech opening the session of Parliament. He would therefore resume the chair in half an hour, The, House resumed at 3.10 p.m. The SPEAKER announced that the address in reply, had been duly presented to his Excellency the Governor, and read the reply which his Excellency was pleased to make. OFFICERS DISPENSED WITH AND APPOINTED. . Mr. SUTTON said the object he had in placing on the paper the motion standing in his name was in order to ascertain whether the promised retrenchment had been actually carried out by the Government since the House last met. He begged therefore to move, — That a return be laid before this House of all all officers whose services have been dispensed with since the Ist December, 1877, with the salaries attached to each office, and the compensation paid iu each case ; also, the names of any officers who have been appointed to any office since the Ist December, 1877, distinguishing between officers avho have been transferred and those newly appointed, and the nature of such appointment, with the salary attached thereto. . The motion was agreed to. TRIUMPHAL ARCH AT NEW PLYMOUTH. Mr. HURSTHOUSE moved,—That a copy of a police report, referring to an attempt to destroy the triumphal arch erected at New Plymouth, on the occasion of the Premier's visit there during the. month of February last, together with all correspondence relative to the said report, be laid before this House. It would be in the remembrance of hon. members that the Hon. the Premier and several official people were at Taranaki on an official visit. Unfortunately he (Mr. Hursthouse) happened to be there at the same time. Like the people in other parts of the colony, those of Taranaki desired to show their respect and admiration for the Ministry. He was informed that a reception committee was appointed, and it was proposed that a triumphal arch should be erected. The proposition was not agreed to, six voting against it, and three in its favor. The three desired to' carry their proposal out, and wrote to the Mayor asking for permission to erect the arch. Permission was refused, bat the idea was carried out. Two holes were dug in the street for the erection of an_ arch. This was very much against the wish of the people, a contrary feeling having set in. On the night prior to the arrival of the Ministerial party an attempt was made to destroy the arch. It was represented that he (Mr. Hursthouse), his boother, and the brother of the late Premier, had taken part in the attempt to destroy 'the arch, but he desired to give such a report, the most flat and entire contradiction. (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Hursthouse) did not wish to take any part in the reception of the Ministerial party. He took care to absent himself, and the fact was he was miles from Taranaki at the time the attempt to destroy the arch was made. He felt very much aggrieved that his name had been held up to ridicule throughout New Zealand, and even iu the Australian colonies, the Ministerial*papers having commented on the matter, and the whole thing had been made a political skit for the purpose of bringing discredit on those who were not supporters of the present Ministry. A literary friend of the Minister of justice had been allowed to copy the report of the police and send it broadcast over the colony, while these who were aggrieved were refused to be allowed to see the report. The whole affair seemed to have been got up for the simple reason that certain persons (himself included) were politically opposed to. the Government now in office. ■ Personally, ho (Mr, Hursthouse) did not care who was Premier—Major Atkinson or Sir George Grey. (Oh 1 oh! from Mr. J. C. Brown.) The hon. member for Tuapeka cried “Oh ! oh 1” He (Mr. Hursthouse) could easily understand what Ministry the hon. member for Tuapeka liked to see in office, after enjoying himself so much during the recess in travelling about with the Ministerial party ; but he (Mr. Hursthouse) did not care who was Premier. It was measures and not men that he opposed or supported. He opposed the measures of the present Government, and had given expression to his views in that House, but because he was a political opponent of theirs was no reason why the Government should have acted in this matter, as they had done. He now proceeded on his constitutional right of asking that the report previously refusedjiy the Government be laid on the table, and , in all probability those who circulated the report that he (Mr. Hursthouse) had taken part in the attempt to pull down the triumphal arch would have to answer for it in a civil action. The Hon. Mr. SHEEHAN said In? would now place the report of the police on the table. The hon. member bad forgotten to state what was the position of affairs at Taranaki when the Ministerial party visited the im r portant capital of that provincial district. The public were very much agitated because, as he (Mr. Sheehan) was informed on arrival, an attempt had been made to pull down a triumphal arch which had been erected in honor of their visit. He moved about amongst the groups of people assembled at the corners of the principal streets of the town, and to allay agitation as much as possible he told the people that he didn’t care a rap for triumphal arches, but would be much better pleased if he. found that the Government had the approval of the bulk of tho people at Taranaki, and this he believed the Government did possess. The hon. member had stated that he was not present when tho attempt was made to pull; the arch down, and he (Mr. Sheehan) thought It was only fair to that gentleman to say that ho was not present. When he the hon. member ho put the question to him in a jocular kind of way, and he detiied having anything’ to do with it, and called a third pen3v)u to prove an alibi —and an ah*6£ was fully proved. That he received a copy of the police report was, as had been said by tho hon. member, perfectly true; but that ho gave it to some literary friend of his own was entirely untrue. * Mr. HURSTHOUSE begged leave to state that he did not say the Minister of; Justice gave the copy of the report to bis literary friend, but that he allowed his literary friend to copy it. The Hon. Mr. SHEEHAN continued to say that he neither gave him a copy of thereporfc or allowed him to copy it. Ho was not aware how tho report was obtained. As was well known there were persistent people belonging to the Press, and as far as it was possible for them to get information they would obtain it,

He presumed that it was in this manner that the report 'was obtained and circulated. It was quite a usual thing to allow members of the Press to have - access to the police books in order to obtain public ■ information. Ho might say that on the day following his arrival at Taranaki a deputation, composed of the Mayor and some influential members of the community, came and asked him if ho could do anything towards the proseention, on account of the respectability of the persona concerned. He considered the matter, and came to the conclusion that justice should be tempered with mercy, and especially as the case could not b© proved on Its merits, he gave instructions to the police not to proceed further in the matter. [Mr. Sheehan then proceeded to read the report of the police]. No doubt th© name of the hon. member was wrongfully included in the list of names, and ho had sustained an -injury for which he was entitled to some moderate reparation. But there was. no necessity to be too thinskinned About the matter. He (Mr. bbcehan) was satisfied in his own mind that the hon. member was not concerned in the attempt to pull down the tiiumphial arch. Th© public ‘ peaco was not endangered by it, and ho believed that in another half century the matter would be forgotten. (A laugh.) He had much pleasure in complying with the terras of the motion, and laying the report and correspondence asked for on the table. . , _ ‘ Mr. BOWEN said the people of the colony had very rightly laughed at the whole affair. It was a mistake to view the matter in so serious a light as a few people had regarded it, or to have thought for a moment that a member of that. House would have acted in the manner imputed to him in th© telegrams. He was glad to hear the Native Minister express his conviction that the hon. • member • had nothing to do with the pulling of this arch, but h© was somewhat surprised that the Native Minister resumed his seat without informing th© House that the person who included the hon. member's name in the police report as one of the persons concerned would be severely reprimanded. It was really very .absurd to think that in a smell place like Taranaki the police should not know a gentleman who was so well known there as the hon. member, and it showed great negligence on the part of the police to include the name of the hon. member as being present at a certain time and place, and doing certain acts, when in point of fact he was not there. He (Mr. Bowen) thought that any police- officer guilty of such an act of carelessness should be severely reprimanded.. Mr. BARTON said the hon. mover of the resolution said he had “ taken care to be absent.” Perhaps this was an accidental expression, or an expression which signified that, although he had taken care to be absent, yet he knew what was going to take place. If so, it was certainly the hon. member’s duty to have gone and explained .to the police why he intended to be absent. He (Mr. Barton) thought that before any measures were taken to punish the policeman, inquiries should be made as to whether he bad information that certain persons were to be at a certain place to do a certain thing. The policeman might have made a mistake from information previously received if' so* he thought the policeman should be allowed to have an opportunity of explaining himself, and the benefit of any doubt that might exist in the matter. Sir ROBERT DOUGLAS said the hon. member was quite right in bringing this matter before the House ; and it was quite clear that h© had nothing to do with the pulling down of this arch. The hon. member had been held up to ridicule for the sole reason that lie was a political opponent of* the present Ministry. (Oh !*oh!l Mr. SUTTON said he thought the police had exceeded their duty in being present at all unless there was some likelihood of the public peace being disturbed. He considered that on this occasion the police had acted as political spies, for the purpose of currying favor with their superiors. It was well known that Mr. Hurethouse was a political opponent of the present Ministry, and this afforded a sufficient explanation as to how his name had got into the polic© report. - The Hon. Mr. STOUT said_ it would be a very peculiar step for the Minister of Justice to take, to censure a policeman because he had placed the name of an hon. member of that House in a report. Mr. BO WE N” said he did not say the police- i man should be reprimanded for placing the name of a member of that House iu a police report. What he said was, that if a i policeman carelessly or negligently placed < fhe name of any person in a police i report, ...when he was not present, and i saw that person, it was a very grave offence, i It was absurd to suppose that a gentleman i who lived in the place, as the mover of the resolution" did, was not known to the police. ] The police ought to know the members of the i Legislature, and in a small place like Taranaki it was absurd to say that the mover of the resolution could be mistaken for somebody else.. There was evidently a great deal* of carelessness displayed in the whole matter on the part of the police, to say the least of it.

The Hon. Mr. STOUT said his hon. colleague had already stated that he was satisfied the hon. member was not concerned in the matter, and the papers were now on the table of the House. Ho did not think hon, members had any. grounds for, impaling that .the .name of the ’hon. member (Mr. Hurathonse) was included in the report because, he. was politically opposed to the present Government. A mistake had evidently been made, but he denied that it had been intentionally done by .the police. The Hon. Major ATKINSON said he believed it was entirely owing to the action of the Government in this matter that no other proceedings were taken, as they declined to furnish a copy of the police report when the persons aggrieved made application for it.: He had known the police officer at Taranaki for a considerable time past, and if he were asked what his opinion was about that gentleman, he would say that he was a most efficient officer. He should be very sorry to think that the police officer in question could allow himself to be carried away by political feeling in the matter, but he could not help feeling that the action of the Government and the police bore a political construction. (No, no.) The facts of the case were simply these. Accompanying the Ministerial party was a ■representative of the Press. He came to Tara-, sakiin the Hinemoa, and, he believed, left also in the Hinemoa. Whether he was travelling at his own expense, or at the public expense, he (Major Atkinson) did not know. The log-book would be laid on the table, and hon. members would then be able to see what amount Mr. McCullogh Heed had cost the public in travelling with the Ministerial party. That newspaper representative read the report in.the police office, and it was in that manner that the report was published throughout the colony. The persons aggrieved applied to the Government to see that report, but tha Government sheltered themselves behind the fact that it was contrary to the regulations of the public service, and the hon. member failed to. get from the Government what he wanted. He thought the Government ought to have complied with the request, knowing, as they did, that the. mover of the resolution was not concerned in the attempt to pull down this arch, and that bis name was wrongfully included in the police report. The hon. member's name was published all (over the colony, through the police,report being accessible to a newspaper representative, and he thought the Government were very much to blame for refusing to supply the parties aggrieved with a copy of j;he report when they applied to be furnished with it.. They were unable to get from the Government that which was furnished to a newspaper representative, going round in their political interest to blow their trumpet all over the colony. Captain RUSSELL was surprised to hear the Minister for Justice stating that the respectability of the parties concerned in this affair had sheltered them from further proceedings. ■Mr. CARRINGTON stated that a deputa-. tion had on the Minister for Justice and requested him to stay proceedings, and tbe Minister for Justice acceded to their wish. Mr. HURSIHOUSE would ask the hon. member for Grey and Bell who authorised the Mayor and the other members of the deputation to go and ask the Minister of Justice to slay proceedings against himself, his brother, and Mr. Atkinson? He - challenged the Government to take proceedings against him; and if it coaid be shown that he had anything to do with the pulling down of the arch he would bo most, willing to put in his twelve months in gaol. (Laughter). Ho must say that he felt very much aggrieved in this matter, and at the action which had been taken by the Government when they were asked by the parties aggrieved to bo supplied with a copy of tbe report. The motion was then put and agreed to. GAOLS.

Mr. BARTON moved, —For a return showing the, number of officera and warders employed respectively in the gaols of Wellington

and Dunedin, with their respective terms of service aqfl respective salaries, their respective 1 hours of duty, and the average number of prisoners annually received into Also, for a return of the promotions, within the last two years, of officers and warders from inferior to superior positions in the service. On the suggestion of the Hon. Mr. SHEEHAN, the motion was amended po as to refer to all the gaols ofthe colony. The motion, as amended, was agreed to. PRISON CLASSIFICATION AND DISCIPLINE,

Mr. BOWEN moved, —That a select committee be appointed to inquire into the present state of the gaols in the colony, and improvements necessary to enforce proper classification’and discipline; with power to call for persona and papers. That such committee do consist of fourteen members, and that lire be a quorum. The committee to consist of Messrs. Fox, Gisborne, Ormond, Rolloston, Seymour, Sheehan, Stout, Swanson, Tole, Wakefield, Bunny, Hunter, Atkinson, and the mover. To report in six weeks. The hon. member said it was a well-known fact that most gaols in the colony were overcrowded. In consequence of this, it was impossible to carry out an effective system of classfication, and this was productive of very evil results. First offenders—oftentimes men of education—were not only contaminated by the society of-old and hardened criminals, but after they wore released from prison, it was absolutely impossible for them to free themselves from the persecutions of those hardened criminals with whom they had to associate while undergoing sentence. This was a very serious evil. Of course, no effectual system of classification of prisoners could be carried out until they had established a central; penal establishment for the colony for long sentenced . offenders; but iu the meantime some of the overcrowded gaols might to a certain extent be relieved by the long-sentenced prisoners being, transferred to those gaols iu various parts of the colony which were not filled with criminals. It was in the that something would be done to bring about a better state of things that he had tabled his motion. Sir GEORGE GL\EY said the Government would have no objection to the appointment of this committee, but he thought it was more a subject for investigation by a Royal Commission, who could visit the various parts of the colony and take evidence. However, the committee could* proceed in the matter, and if they thought it necessary that a Royal Commission should be appointed they could recommend accordingly. Therefore, the Government would consent to the appointmentment of a select committee.

Mr. BOWEN said that a Royal Commission sat in 1868, and their report was a very .valuable one. It'was this fact that led him to think that another Royal Commission would not be necessary; but if the committee thought a Royal Commission should be appointed, they would of course make a recommendation to that effect. The motion was agreed to. . WASTE LANDS COMJIITEEE. The Hon. Mr. STOUT moved, —That the number, of the Waste Lauds Committee be increased to- nineteen members, and that the names of Mr. Rolleston and Mr. Reeves be added thereto. The motion was agreed to. THE CASE OF JOSHUA GOODFELLOW. Mr. MURRAY moved, —That a committee be appointed to investigate and report upon the claims against the Government by Joshua Goodfellow, as contractor on the Tokomairiro and Lawrence railway. The committee to consist of the following members : —Hon. Mr. Macandrew,Mr. Richmond, Mr, J. C. Brown, Mr. Swanson, Mr. Cutten, and the mover ; three to be a quorum. To report In three weeks. The hon. member pointed out that this case had been previously dealt with by the Public Petitions Committee. A certain recommendation was made, but as yet no action had been taken to give effect to it, or to fix the amount to which Mr. Goodfellow was entitled.

Mr. KELLY opposed the motion. The case had been already enquired into by the Public Petitions Committee. The committee recommended that the petitioner should' receive compensation, and it was for the Government to take action in the matter.

The Hon. Mr. RICHARDSON opposed the appointment of this committee, on the ground that the case had already been reported on, and if the Government referred the matter to the engineer (who was now in Wellington), they could easily ascertain what should be done in the matter.

The Hon. Mr. MAOANDREW said the Government would-not oppose the appointment of this committee. The Government considered that the petitioner was entitled to something, but they would prefer leaving it to a committee to say what -that something should be.

The Hon. Mr. GISBORNE said he would have no objection to the appointment of this committee if it was understood that they confined themselves simply to the question of assessing the amount. Mr. MURRAY said the petitioner would never be satisfied unless the amount of compensation were fixed by a committee of the House. He begged leave to amend his motion by inserting the words, “ What amount of compensation shall be paid to,” in lieu of the words, “ The claims against the Government by.” The Hon. Mr. RICHARDSON pointed out that if the amendment were agreed to, it would amount to this—that the House recognised that Mr. .Goodfellow had a claim for compensation. The Hon. Mr,GISBORNE suggested that the words “if any ” would remove the difficulty. Mr. MURRAY said he would insert the words “if any.” The SPEAKER said he could not put the amendment if there was any dissentient voice.

There being a dissentient voice, the amendment was not put. The motion was then put ias originally printed. The House divided—Ayes, 23 ; noes, 21. The motion was therefore carried. MBKCANTILE LAW AMENDMENT DILL AND TEADB ONIONS BILL. These Bills were committed, reported to the House, and ordered to be read a third, time next day. - COMMITTEE OF SUPPLY." Oh the motion of the Hon. Mr. Sheehan, the House resolved itself into Committee of Supply. In committee it was resolved tliat supply be granted to her Majesty. The resolution of the Committee of Supply was reported to the House, and ordered to be taken into consideration next day. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. next day.